Mikoto: Angel of Death
by Pilot-Duo
Summary: Fic on Mikoto that's about two years old; incomplete. Warning: spoilers


((I, in no way, own Final Fantasy IX or any of its inhabitants. I started on this fanfic probably two years ago, if not longer, and had recently rediscovered it. The reason why I wrote a fic on Mikoto is that I don't think that Square paid enough attention to her. I mean, she's the little sister of Zidane and Kuja, for crying out loud! Anyways, due to my so- called "self esteem", I don't know if I'll continue on this or not. =\ ))  
  
Mikoto: New Angel of Death  
  
The air around her grew cold. She shivered a little, knowing that that wouldn't help, but it at least let her express that she was cold. Coldness was a new feeling for Mikoto, a genome from the former planet of Terra. New to the world of Gaia, Mikoto had yet to learn many things about it, its inhabitants, and more importantly, about herself. Mikoto slowly wrapped a velvet cloak around herself and turned to leave the snowy fields of the Black Mage Village, a village inhabited by Black Mages and soulless genomes from Terra. Mikoto knew deep inside her that she must go; go to Shimmering Island. Something unusual was calling her there. Calling her by name. Who or what is was was unknown to her knowledge, though at first, she thought it might have been her "oldest brother" from Terra. No, but it couldn't have been. Kuja was dead, and Mikoto know it for a fact. She didn't know if her "older brother" Zidane Tribal had heard the voice, or if was calling him too, for that matter. Was calling only her? Was she the only one who could hear it? Or was it merely her imagination? Whatever it was, she was destined to find out. Boco, Mikoto's brother's chocobo, was waiting for her outside the village. Zidane had given her Boco incase she needed to go anywhere in a hurry. Though still a little afraid of it, she approached it. Boco looked up at her with glowing eyes, full of life and excitement on their destination. Slowly, Mikoto mounted, and with a little trouble at first, made it. She gripped the handles of Boco's leash tightly, and looked to the West, where she was going.  
  
"Let's go, Boco!!" she cried out. In a flash, Boco jumped into a head start. At first being jerked, Mikoto gripped onto the leash harder than before. She closed her eyes, hoping not to fall off. Am I going to make it? Am I going to make it to the Shimmering Island by myself safely? Maybe I should've asked for Zidane's help...No, I must do this on my own. Only then, will I be able to get a better understanding of this planet, Mikoto thought to herself. The bitter snow increased its winds, perhaps by purpose, as if saying to turn back. Turn back to where you are safe, Mikoto, it seemed to be saying. No, I cannot go back. I will not allow myself to go back! Something, someone is calling me, and I must find out who it is. Though, I know in the back of my heart that it would have been safer to ask for assistance. General Beatrix informed me that Alexandria would always be able to assist me in times of need. Now, I am in need of help. But I cannot ask for help! As I said before, I cannot allow myself. I have to go on my own.  
  
Zidane looked out the theater ship hovering above Lindblum, looking for a place to land. A powerful snow storm prevented Tantalus from going to its performance in Alexandria, where Zidane was looking forward to going to. Damn the snow! Zidane thought to himself once more for what seemed like the thousandth time. Suddenly, the door to practicing room flew open. Zidane looked up and saw a small figure, a pale, thin woman with silver-ish blonde hair. It was Ruby.  
  
"What in tarnation is wrong wit you, Zidane? Yer as quiet as a cowboy without his bull!"  
  
"Er, sorry, Ruby. It's just that, I was really looking forward to going to Alexandria," Zidane replied with a sorrowful sigh. Ruby nodded her head.  
  
"Lemme guess, you want to see that there Royal belle, right? Well, I'm sure she'll be thinkin' of you, right partner?" Ruby said as she playfully nudged Zidane on the arm. Zidane sat up and grinned.  
  
"Your right, Ruby. There's always next month, season, year, decade, century-"  
  
"Now don't you start gettin' depressed on me, ya hear? Tis' unhealthy fer ya. Now c'mon down, we're 'bout to land!" Ruby said with some excitement. Suddenly, in a flash, she ran out of the room, wiggling her hips excitedly. Zidane sighed. Easy for you to say, he thought. He looked out the window again. It's not only Dagger I miss, but the whole group. Heck, I even wonder how Amarant's doin'? And Mikoto, I've been wondering about her lately, like, is she ok? Has she adapted to this world, yet? Oww...I'm thinking too hard...I'm hungry. I think I'll head over to the Industrial District and see what's on the special for today...  
  
~*~  
  
Mikoto walked up to the center of the Island, where the wormhole between Gaia and Terra once stood. Boco chirped behind her as she held its leash. Slowly, she bent down and grabbed a handful of snow. The coldness sent a quick chill down her spine. With a shiver, she stood back up, hearing a strange voice call out to her. It sounded distant, yet all around her.  
  
"Mik...o .e.p ... y...st sa... ....a" said the voice. Mikoto jumped at the sound, and turned in all directions. Boco ruffled up its feathers and chirped.  
  
"Who are you?! Show yourself!" she commanded. Silence was her only answer.  
  
"..'s me ...a. ...t to...lp sa... ....a f.....ing fo.....en," the voice whispered again. Mikoto jumped  
  
"I can't tell who you are! Your voice is being carried away by the wind...!" Mikoto yelled to what seemed like nothingness. Boco had a grumpy look upon its face.  
  
Suddenly, a strange noise came from behind Boco. It was quick, and lasted only a second. Mikoto turned around and looked sharply at Boco. Boco seemed to turn a small shade of red and lowered its head down. Mikoto sighed and looked down at the snowy ground. It seemed so peaceful, yet, so unstable. It's kind of hard to believe that this was the passage way to my home...My home, which no longer stands...she thought to her. Then, she heard the sound again and looked up. This time, she knew it wasn't Boco, for the ground began to shake.  
  
"Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no-" Mikoto chanted as the ground became more and more unsteady. Boco went berserk and broke free from Mikoto. It screeched and chirped, then finally, raised its golden wings and flew into the sky, without Mikoto.  
  
"Oh you...!" Mikoto growled as she watched Boco fly away into the distance. Suddenly, the ground broke into two, splitting right in front of Mikoto. She looked down, and screamed in terror. Out of the ground came a large Iifa tree root.  
  
"H-Help...!" she screamed, knowing that it was useless. The Iifa tree root reached for the sky, then came back to the ground with a bang. Mikoto fell to the ground from the impact and closed her eyes shut tight. Please, go away!! I don't want to cause any trouble!! She thought to herself once more.  
  
All of a sudden, the ground sopped shaking. Mikoto, still lying on the ground, blinked a couple of times. Nothing but blackness surrounded her. Slowly, she sat up and looked around. Still, all she could see was blackness; the nothingness of space. She looked down at herself, but couldn't see anything, still. She sat up straight and patted her stomach, legs, and arms to see if there was anything "different" about them. Nope, everything seemed to be in working order.  
  
"Mikoto..."  
  
At this, Mikoto jumped up onto her feet.  
  
"Mikoto, it is I..."  
  
"Kuja?!!" Mikoto screamed out. Suddenly, thousands of questions began to flow through her head at once. What is he doing here? Where was he? How is he doing this? When did this happen? Who helped him? Above all, why is he alive?  
  
"I know that you are wondering how I am here. Well, that is not a secret. In fact, since you are my little sister, I shall tell you."  
  
"Kuja, where are you?! Let me see you!!" she screamed out. She couldn't even see herself, but that didn't matter. She didn't believe this was Kuja, yet in her mind, she knew it was.  
  
"...If that will make you more comfortable, then I shall reveal myself," Kuja said in almost a whisper. In front of Mikoto, there was a dim light lit, and a figure was made out. It was a slim, womanly figure with long hair, and...A tail? Since when did Kuja decide to show his tail, thought Mikoto. She blinked at the dim light. The figure also had ragged clothing, barely visible.  
  
"Mikoto, Terra is almost forgotten, and the Iifa tree is about to die. I need you to feed the Iifa tree more souls, so that it can continue to suck life from this planet," replied Kuja in almost a whisper once more.  
  
"Why feed the Iifa tree when Terra no longer exists?" Mikoto asked.  
  
"Because Terra is not destroyed. It is clinging onto life, little by little letting go. Since Zidane is only living and fighting for Gaia, there is no hope in asking him to do this important task. Besides, you cannot die unless he dies. That is why you are alive even now," Kuja replied. Mikoto's eyes widened.  
  
"You mean if it weren't for that, I'd be dead now?!" she yelled.  
  
"Of course. You think any living being would've survived the hit you took from the Iifa tree root?" Kuja said slyly. Mikoto sat down, her heart beating fast.  
  
"You said you'll tell me what you are doing alive, now, I demand to know how!" Mikoto yelled.  
  
"Oh, getting a little feisty, are we? Well, I didn't say I'm alive, but I'll tell you how I am here, in front of you," Kuja said calmly. It seemed that he folded his arms.  
  
"Well, I did the Iifa tree a favor and fed it. Now, it is returning it's debt to me by letting me give you this message with my soul, for you see, my soul has not yet left the Iifa tree yet. The Iifa tree is almost dead itself, by the way. That is another reason why I ask of you to do this task for me. You cannot die without that dreadful creature Zidane dead first, so that gives you an advantage, also. Now, before Terra is completely destroyed and forgotten, do me this favor. I have used a lot of energy from the Iifa tree to even call you here in an unrecognizable voice; let alone speak to you here and now," Kuja said slyly. Mikoto shook her head.  
  
"Why should I clean up the mess that you made? I thought Zidane had set your soul free when he defeated you?!" Mikoto argued. Kuja chuckled.  
  
"You are so young and naïve; it's amusing. Now, grant my last wish and do this deed I ask for!" Kuja commanded. Mikoto stood up, about to say something, when all of a sudden, Kuja disappeared. The darkness around her began to lift, and she felt herself lying back down.  
  
"She has awakened!! You're Majesty! You're Majesty!! She has awakened!! She is moving, and her eyes are opening!! You Majesty!!"  
  
Mikoto slowly opened her eyes, feeling as though she had been hit by a heavy chocobo cart. She looked around her surrounds, and found an unfamiliar place. She was inside a stone room, filled with curtains and rugs. Slowly, she made the effort to rise, but her chest was instantly filled with pain. Quickly, she lay back down, groaning. A "clank clank"-ing sound was heard, followed by light foot steps not to far behind. Making the effort she opened her eyes once again. First thing she saw was a huge face, looking straight at her, and grinning a somewhat cheesy grin. Mikoto was startled at the sight and felt her whole body jerk.  
  
"Zidane, stand back! You have scared the poor thing," a pleasant voice said. Mikoto looked in the direction of the voice. It was Queen Garnet.  
  
"I'm sorry Dagger, but, I just can't help it that I'm so sexy...!" Zidane pleaded. Queen Garnet rolled her eyes. Steiner, the Queen's bodyguard, was standing behind her and Zidane.  
  
"...How long have I been asleep?" was the first thing Mikoto asked.  
  
"Oh, for about...I'd say, six weeks or so," Zidane replied, looking as if to think. At this, Mikoto released a masculine belch. Without warning, Zidane burst into a series of high-pitched laughs. Steiner grinned a little, and Queen Garnet had a look of worry upon her face.  
  
"Quick Steiner, fetch her some food! The poor thing must be starved!" Queen Garnet replied. Steiner quickly saluted.  
  
"Yes, your Majesty!!" he said and ran out of the room in a flash.  
  
"Zidane, Dagger...I saw...him..." said Mikoto in a sorrowful voice. At this, Zidane instantly stopped laughing.  
  
"Saw...who?" Queen Garnet asked quickly. Zidane leaned over to listen.  
  
"...Kuja," Mikoto said. The Queen gasped in horror, and Zidane's tail stiffened.  
  
"Kuja?! Was it a dream? Or did you see him or real? Quick, tell us!!" Zidane yelled out.  
  
"...That, I do not know. But, I know he is still around, somewhere, waiting. Just, waiting to kill us off and bring Terra back to power," Mikoto replied. Zidane sighed.  
  
"C'mon, Mi. It was probably just a dream. If I got hit in the head by an Iifa tree root, I'd probably dream about a transvestite, too," he said. Queen Garnet glared at him.  
  
"This is no time to be joking, Zidane! Mikoto, what did he tell you?" Queen Garnet asked.  
  
"He told me...to...bring back...Terra..." at this, Mikoto fainted from lack of food.  
  
Waving his hand over her face did not help. No matter how many times he called out to her, Zidane still could not awaken Mikoto. Queen Garnet had a look of worry upon her face, while Steiner stood behind her, placing a tray full of food and a goblet on a small nearby table.  
  
"Mikoto! Mikoto! Hey, Mi! Wakey wakey!!" called out Zidane a numerous amount of times. Mikoto seem to just lay on the bed, almost lifeless. Queen Garnet sighed once more.  
  
"Zidane, I do not think she shall be awakening for quite some time. Please, let her be for the time being," she said. Zidane finally sat up from Mikoto's bed and sighed deeply.  
  
"Well Dagger, I just can't stand to see her like this! She looks so, lifeless and dead! I'm sure that when Stiltzken found her, she was ten times worse!" he protested. Queen Garnet placed her delicate hand on his shoulder. Zidane, I know what you have gone through. Mikoto is your only living relative. I know that you try to hide your pain behind that laughter of yours, but you can't hide it forever, she thought. Zidane lowered his head and grew silent. Steiner peeked around the queen's shoulder to get a peek at what was going on. Queen Garnet leaned towards Zidane.  
  
"What's the matter, Zidane? Do you not feel well?" she asked with concern.  
  
"No, it's not that, Dagger. It's just...that...just that..." he replied weakly. The Queen leaned in closer, with Steiner not to far behind her.  
  
"-just that I can't stand o see my one and only sister like this!!" he cried, suddenly grabbing onto Queen Garnet's dress and burying himself into her torso. Queen Garnet screamed, and Steiner ran up to Zidane and yanked him off of her by his shoulders. Steiner looked right into Zidane's eyes.  
  
"What are you doing, thief?! Have you forgotten that we are in the presence of the Queen of Alexandria?!! Just what are you trying to pull here?! Do you want to be arres-"  
  
"It's all right, Steiner. Please, let him down," Queen Garnet sighed out. She dusted off her dress as if it had gotten dirty. Steiner released Zidane while he was still in midair, causing Zidane to fall down to the ground with a thud.  
  
"Oww, Rusty...That hurt! I don't wear tons of tin on myself like you do!" Zidane complained. Queen Garnet stopped her laughter, and Steiner glared at Zidane.  
  
"Why you little, thief...!" he called out in frustration. Zidane suddenly did a back flip and landed in front of Steiner.  
  
"Do you wanna fight?! C'mon Rusty! I'll take you on!!" Zidane called out. Queen Garnet shook her head as Steiner looked at her for permission.  
  
"Hahahahaa!! You can't do anyth-"  
  
"Zidane! Look at Mikoto!!" Queen Garnet cried out. Zidane and Steiner jumped at the same time and turned their heads sharply to Mikoto. Mikoto seemed to have awakened, but looked like she was in a daze. Her eyes were not focusing, and her tail twitched what seemed like without her knowing.  
  
"Mikoto!! Hey, Mi!! Talk to me!! Are you all right?! HELLO?!!" Zidane called out to her. Mikoto sat in the same spot, almost lifeless. Zidane clapped his hands in front of her face a couple of times, only to get the same response from Mikoto as before.  
  
"Dammit Mikoto!! Answer me!!" Zidane finally yelled out as he shook Mikoto by the shoulders. Mikoto turned her face to Zidane's direction and blinked a couple of times, still without expression. Queen Garnet took the goblet and held it up to Mikoto's face.  
  
"Here, Mikoto, drink this!" she said quickly as she forced the drink down Mikoto's throat. Mikoto seemed to drink it all. Finally, Mikoto's eyes focused correctly, and her tail stopped twitching.  
  
"W-Where am I...?" she asked as she looked around the room. Queen Garnet, Zidane, and Steiner all sighed in relief in unison.  
  
"Mikoto, you're in Alexandria. It's me, Zidane, Dagger, and Rus-er- Steiner. Do you remember us?" Zidane asked in haste. Mikoto stared at Zidane and blinked a few times.  
  
"Zidane...Dagger...Steiner...I remember know! I am in Alexandria, where Dagger is from, right? Yeah, I remember where I am, now..." Mikoto said. Zidane sat back against the bed in relief, and Queen Garnet set the goblet onto the little table behind her. She then pointed out the food to Mikoto.  
  
"Here, Mikoto, I want you to eat. It is important that you do, because you might faint again as you did earlier before," Queen Garnet said. Mikoto sat up straight and looked at the food.  
  
"It looks delicious. Then I shall eat, Dagger. Thank you," she replied, and stared blankly at the food. Zidane grinned a somewhat cheesy grin.  
  
"Don't eat that food, Mikoto! That'll hardly fill you up! C'mon to town with me and get some REAL food," he said. Steiner glared at him.  
  
"You dare to remark about the Castle's top chefs?! Why I outta-" Steiner began.  
  
"I didn't say anything about the chefs, Rusty, only the food!" Zidane said before Steiner could finish. At this, Steiner turned pink with anger.  
  
"You dare talk back to me?! How dare you, you little insolent-"  
  
"Steiner, please. Zidane, I wish for Mikoto to stay here with us in the castle to recover from her long sleep. Besides, is it not to cold to go outside this time of day? You know it has been constantly snowing for the past coupled of months or so," Queen Garnet interrupted, "Besides, the food may fill her up, but is it healthy?"  
  
"Er....I, uh, um..." Zidane mumbled. Steiner grinned.  
  
~*~  
  
That night, in the halls of the Alexandria Castle in the guest room, Zidane slept halfway lying off the bed. He had been thinking about nothing but Mikoto all that day, and now that it was finally time to rest, he felt relieved. Tantalus was supposed to arrive in Alexandria, tomorrow, to put on their annual performance of "I Want to be Your Canary" in front of the Alexandria castle. From there, Zidane would catch up with them and help with the performance. Having a little sister is exhausting, Zidane thought to himself before he had fallen asleep Now, all that was to be heard in the guests chambers where the sounds of Zidane's noisy snores.  
  
A rumbling noise was heard throughout the castle, and shook the bottom floors Zidane ignored the feeling, now half-awake. Go away...Let me sleep...He thought. Suddenly, the castle shook again. This time, waking up several soldiers and Pluto Knights. Zidane rolled over in bed, almost falling over, and moaned. A cracking noise was heard underground. Zidane yawned and slowly opened his eyes. Thinking he was in a dream, he jumped almost three feet high, for there were vines and roots growing all over the chambers. Screams from the soldiers could be heard in the castle, and Zidane grabbed his Ultima Weapon. The roots seemed to be pulsing a heartbeat, though too silent to hear.  
  
"Show yourself!!" Zidane commanded at the unknown enemy. Suddenly, there was a voice in his head, speaking directly into his mind.  
  
Zidane, what are you doing? the voice asked. Zidane gripped onto the Ultima Weapon and  
  
"Who the hell?! Dammit, I said show yourself!!" he repeated. The voice grew into a steady laughter. At this, he knew who it was. That laugh, that low, evil laugh...  
  
"Kuja?! Is that you?! Answer me!!" Zidane yelled out. The laugh stopped and spoke.  
  
Zidane, what are you doing here? Why are you wasting your life away in this dreadful place? Tell me, why do you run away from your destiny? Destiny as Terra's Savior? It's Angel of Death? The voice of Kuja asked Zidane in a calm voice. Zidane felt his body tense up.  
  
"Stupid! Terra is destroyed, and we killed you! What do you want with me now?!" Zidane yelled out. The noise of soldiers in the castle trying to get around the Iifa tree roots could be heard.  
  
It is not I who is idiotic, dear brother. You, who deliberately throw away his destiny for the sake of a worthless planet, are the idiotic one. I can already see that you are not willing to cooperate with me, so therefore, I shall have to eliminate you, the voice said. Zidane bent his knees, put up his guard, and got ready for battle.  
  
"Then show yourself, if you can live up to that talk!!" Zidane yelled out. Suddenly, the ground beneath him began to crumble, and out came a huge Iifa tree root, pulsing like a vein. Slowly, the root began to unravel itself, and somehow sticking out of the root was Mikoto. Zidane shook his head and opened his eyes wider at the sight.  
  
"Mikoto?!! What the hell are you doing, Kuja?!!" Zidane yelled out at the top of his lungs. Mikoto in the tree root opened her eyes and glared at Zidane. The look gave him an eerie feeling, like that was not really Mikoto at all. It looked like Kuja was looking at Zidane through Mikoto's body. He gripped his weapon harder and looked at Mikoto.  
  
"Mikoto, how can I-" Zidane began. He continued to look at the tree root, dumbfounded as to where to begin. Should he cut her free? If so, from where? He'd need help to do that, though...  
  
"Zidane, I'm here to help!!"  
  
"Do not fight without me either, Zidane!"  
  
At the voices, Zidane looked behind him and saw Steiner with General Beatrix, ready for battle. The General had her trusty sword, Save the Queen, drawn and preparing for a spell. Zidane silently sighed in relief.  
  
A bright blue aura began to encircle General Beatrix. Her eyes were focused on the Iifa tree root, and were not going to change for anything. She began to concentrate, calming her body down and focusing her energy onto the Iifa tree root. The aura around her suddenly became brighter and brighter, as she slowly raised her sword, pointed towards the root. The winds around her, and her only, began to change, for they were growing unsteady. Quickly, she stepped up one step forward and slashed her great sword towards the root, throwing all her energy aura at it.  
  
"Shock!!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Suddenly, the great blue aura surrounding her was struck at the Iifa tree root. The root jerked to the right, and Mikoto screamed in heavy pain. General Beatrix gasped and Steiner stood dumbfounded. Zidane jumped up, and had a look of horror on his face.  
  
"Mikoto!!!" he screamed out. Mikoto looked, what it felt like, straight through him. Her glare felt like a thorn, piercing his heart with a poison of emotional pain. She had blood trickling down her face and onto her chin and neck. For some reason, the face that was glaring at Zidane no longer felt like Mikoto's look.  
  
Mikoto suddenly cried out in more pain as the Iifa tree root was slashed by a couple of General Beatrix's soldiers. The root, heavily damaged from the General herself and a couple of her soldiers, was sucked right back into the ground, as fast as it came up. Zidane dropped his weapon and bent down beside the hole, crying out Mikoto's name as loud as he possibly could. General Beatrix and Steiner looked down into the ground, where the hole was set. The two soldiers from the brief attack also looked down into the hole, heads hung low. It seemed that the only room that was really damaged throughout the entire castle happened to be the guest chambers.  
  
~*~  
  
"Dagger!! Steiner!! Beatrix!!" cried out a little girl cheerfully as she got off a grand airship. The little girl ran up to Queen Garnet and embraced her in a tight hug.  
  
"Eiko! How are you? I have not seen you in quite a while, right? Welcome, Uncle Cid, Aunt Hilda," said the Queen as she did a courtesy bow for Regent Cid of Lindblum and for his wife, Hilda. They both smiled and with courtesy, bowed back. Eiko still held Queen Garnet in her short arms.  
  
"Dagger, where's Zidane?! I wanna see him," Eiko called out, excitedly. Queen Garnet sighed deeply and looked down to the ground.  
  
"I'm sorry, Eiko, but Zidane is not feeling well today. He may be able to see you after the performance, however," she replied. Eiko folded her arms stubbornly.  
  
"Hmph! Just wait til I see him tonight! Boy, will he be sorry!" Eiko declared. Regent Cid and Hilda laughed. Queen Garnet gestured them towards the castle.  
  
"Please, come in. It must be freezing standing out here in the snow," she said. General Beatrix and Steiner bowed to the Regent and Hilda.  
  
"G'day, sir, m'aam," they both said in unison. The Regent and Hilda smiled.  
  
"Why thank you General, Steiner," Regent Cid replied. Eiko ran up to Steiner and gave him an unexpected hug. Steiner stood back, but grinned.  
  
"We noticed a small part of the castle under a little rubble. Whatever happened to it?" Hilda asked Queen Garnet inside the castle. They were in the Royal dinning room, having some tea.  
  
"Well Hilda, we had in accident last night in the guest chambers," Queen Garnet began. 


End file.
